Device for developing and strengthening the muscles of the body and arms.



R. BLAKOE.

DEVICE FOR DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING THE MUSGLES OF THE BODY ANDARMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. 1909.

964,745. Patented July 19, 1910.

2 llllli TEN FFICE.

ROBERT BLAKOE, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

DEVICE FOR DEVELOPING AND STRENGTHENING THE MUSGLES on THE BODY ANDARMS.

seams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Application filed May 19, 1909. Serial No. 496,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT BLAKOE, of 5 Clifton Place, Sauchiehallstreet est, Glasgow, Scotland, lecturer on anatomy, have inventedcertain new and useful Devices for Developing and Strengthening theMuscles of the Body and Arms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a device for the developingand strengthening of all the body muscles, and arm muscles.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a part circle or are of temperedspring steel or other metal having two handles or grips suitably fixedthereto near to the ends of the are or terminals of the part circle. Ator near the open part of the circle or are or bridging the gap formedthereof, I fix a scale blade marked in lbs. which is loosely connectedwith one end of said arcuate member and is fixed to the opposite sidethereof. In place of having the scale blade at or near the center I mayhave it carried on, guides between the gap.

In use, the person takes hold of the two handles and endeavors to closethe open space between the two ends of the spring, and in doing so thecombined effort of all the most important trunk muscles together withall muscles of the hands, wrists and arms are put into exercise, and theperson using the appliance has in view the scale blade marked in poundsand showing the result of the effort made. Increases in physicalstrength can thus be accurately gaged day by day.

The appliance can be of round, oval, or other shape, and of one or morepieces of metal as may be desired.

The above appliance, is designed to develop and strengthen the followingimportant muscles :all fiexors, and extensors of the arms; deltoids;pectorals; neck muscles; abdominal muscles; serratus muscles; latissimusdorsi; as well as others.

In order that my invention may be properly understood and readilycarried into effect, I have hereunto appended one sheet of drawings, ofwhich- Figures 1, 2 and 3 are front elevation, side elevation and planrespectively of the developer embodying my invention. Fig. 4 is asimilar view to Fig. 1 of the developer formed of a strong steel bladeand therefore requiring a more rigorous exercise of the muscles in theuse of the same. Fig. 5 is another form of the developer in which in theoperation of opening the gap the muscles of the back are brought intoaction, all hereafter more fully referred to and described.

From the drawings it will be seen that the developer consists of a steelhoop or flat ring A with its circumference incomplete, or a portionthereof cut away, as at B and C, and the gap D there formed is capableof being more or less closed, and the force required to close it orbring the points B and C toward each other is suitably indicated as willhereinafter more fully appear.

E and F indicate the handles disposed on the exterior of the hoop orring A aforesaid and which are grasped by the hands of the user in themuscular action of bringing the parts together as aforesaid. The gap isbridged across, as seen, by a circular or con centric blade or band ofsteel G which is graduated in lbs. from 0 to 50, or further if desired.7

Fig. 3 illustrates the width of the concentric scale blade as comparedwith hoop or flat band A. This concentric blade or band of steel G istwice the length of the gap or opening D graduated in oppositedirections, as seen in Fig. 1, and is designed to register both inopening and closing the space constituting the gap or opening Daforesaid. The concentric scale blade or band G is attached to the hoopor flat ring A at the part C, while the other end thereof is passedthrough an eye or slotted bracket piece H in which it works freely. Thehandles may be in the form shown in Fig. 1, each handle having twoshanks I, J, which are clamped to the hoop or ring A in two places asshown, or in the form shown with a single shank or stem K, or of anyother suitable form.

In Fig. 5, the handles E and F are attached to long rods L, M, which areso bent and designed as to cross each other as seen. The ends of theserods aforesaid are attached to the hoop or ring A on its innercircumference. The concentric scale blade G registers the opening andclosing of the gap D as in the two forms previously referred to and isparticularly adapted to bring into action the muscles of the back. Theconcentric scale blade may be provided with a slidable marker N forreading the different expenditure of strength given in lbs.

Claims.

1. A physical developing device comprising in combination, an arcuatemember of yielding material formed with its ends normally spaced apartfrom each other, handles secured to the ends of said member, and acurved graduated scale connected to one end of said member and extendingbeyond and loosely connected with the other end of said member forindicating the amount of power applied to said handles.

2. A hysical developing device comprising in combination, an arcuatemember formed of yielding material, gripping devices secured to saidmember adjacent the ends thereof, a graduated member concentricallyarranged with respect to said arouate member and bridging the gapbetween the ends thereof, said graduated member being secured to one endof the arcuate member and slidably connected with the other end thereoffor indicating the amount of power applied to said devices.

3. A physical developing device comprising in combination, an arcuatemember formed of yielding material having end portions normally spacedapart, gripping devices secured to said member, a graduated elementsecured to one end portion of said member and loosely connected with theother end portion thereof, and a marker slidably mounted on said elementand arranged to be actuated by said other end portion of said member forreading on said element the amount of power applied to said device.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BLAKOE.

lVitnesses:

JOHN LrnnLn, Jor-rN TRAIN LIDDLE.

